


Quills - Riddle of Time

by YukiKuroi



Category: Quills (2000)
Genre: Anorexia, Bulimia, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Children, Eating Disorders, F/M, Headcanon, Headcanon Age, Jealousy, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukiKuroi/pseuds/YukiKuroi
Summary: Charenton hides hundreds of secrets, and so every person in there do.What if some of these secrets are discovered?T/W: My OC has the function of Reader, so if you want, you can replace her name, age and phisical/pasichological characterisics with whatever you want, enjoy!
Relationships: Abbé de Coulmier/Marquis de Sade, Abbé de Coulmier/OC, Abbé de Coulmier/Original Character(s), Abbé de Coulmier/Original Female Character(s), Abbé de Coulmier/Reader, Abbé de Coulmier/You
Kudos: 1





	1. What About Us?

-I was impatiently waiting for you, my dear! Did you have a nice trip?- the blonde priest asked to a very short, young-looking woman. She blushed a lot, she hadn't enough courage to bluntly say her opinion, so she just nodded. The man sweetly smiled at her. 

She didn't have a nice trip at all, though. A 15 hours trip into the old, damaged carriage that her grandfather left to her wasn't properly "nice". But she nodded, swallowing the umpteenth opportunity to say the truth. 

-Thank you for asking, Abbé, you are a gentleman. The rumors about you were true, I see.- the lady said, giving him the hand. He immediately kissed it. 

The rumors said that the Abbé du Maupas was a gentleman, but they said also that he had a big fat infatuation for her. 

- _Madame_ \--

She interrupted him: - _Mademoiselle_ , please.-

- _Mademoiselle_ , let me guide you, I want to introduce you my chief!- the Abbé said, she was surprised.

-Excuse me, Abbé...you-you're not the Director of this Asylum?- she asked. The man giggled.

-Sadly, no, my dear. The Doctor is, and he does a very good work.- he replied, with a wide smile.

-The Doctor? Oh, I'm sorry, but I heard that a Man of God was- oh, my God, I am so rude!- she blushed a lot, hiding her cheeks in her hands. -I apologise, Abbé, I-I really am--

The man laughed, pretty amused. -No need to apologise, _mademoiselle_ , I heard that you are quite a shy woman, and you are!-. She giggled as well.

-Follow me, my dear, I'd really like to start working with you!- he said, lightly blushing.She nodded, smiling, and followed him, feeling happy and excited.

The girl started to look around, observing every detail of that structure. It was pretty a neglected asylum, even if was known as the best. The best, before the scandal of the infamous Marquis de Sade. The two soon arrived into a studio, with a large desk and an elegant chair. On that desk, a lot of documents; she gave a quick look: they were psychological profiles of the patients. A red-haired woman arrived, looing at her with a malicious gaze.

-Hello, Charlotte, tell the Doctor that the nurse has arrived.- the priest ordered her. The girl bowed politely. 

-Sure.- she said, looking at the Abbé, then she looked at the girl with him. -Your pleasure to meet you.-

Then she left.

An old, wrinkled, tall man took over for "Charlotte".

-So you're the woman known as the "best nurse in Paris"?- the man asked. The girl nodded. He looked at her suspiciously. 

-Well, in my opinion, women that are not nuns aren't supposed to work, because the man has to economically take c--

-Excuse me, monsieur, can we not talk about it and just introduce ourselves?- she just said, trying to keep her anger. The Doctor stared at her with a surprised gaze, then looked at the Abbé. He kindly touched her shoulder, smiling at her. 

The Doctor suddenly took her hand to kindly kiss it, but she refused that kiss, and just shook his hand just as two businessmen would do. 

-Lucille Chagall, nice to meet you.- the girl just said, with an embarassed smile. 

-Antoine-Athanase Royer-Collard, my dear, but you can just call me Doctor.-

Lucille could feel the discomfort fill her whole body up. She knew the methods of healing that he preferred, but she also felt some mischief in his eyes. She thought about him as some filthy maniac.

-I hope you don't mind if I ask you your age, _mademoiselle_.-

Her age? For what? Lucille knew she looked younger than she actually was, but she couldn't get the point of that question.

-Oh, I'm 26.- she replied.

-You're young, huh? You're as old as one of our patients.-

Lucille was a little surprised. -Oh, really?-

-Yes, our François is 24, isn't he?- the Doctor asked. The Abbé du Maupas quietly nodded.

-Talking about patients...- she said, then she looked at the priest. -Abbé, do you mind guiding me to visit the asylum? And maybe, let me meet the patients?- the girl smiled.

The blonde man blushed and nodded, lightly touching her back and leaving the studio.


	2. Blurred Lines

_-Mom, when can I see her again?- I asked, my voice was full of hope and joy._

_-Honey, i don't think you two could meet for a long time.- my mom replied, in a violently blunt tone. My happiness was roughly smashed. My mom had never been able to be sweet._

_My smile turned into a wince of sadness. -Why not?!- I asked, as my eyes were filled up in tears._

_-No time for explanation, François, so don't insist. We have to move as quick as possible.-_

_I was going to ask "Why" again, but my mom's bad gaze made me shut my mouth._

_-Come with me.- she pouted, as she roughly took my hand and violently pulled me to make me follow her._

_-Mom, you're hurting me!- I shouted, and hardly coughed. My throat burned such as the hellfire, and my head hurted._

_-Frak!- a thin voice yelled far behind me. I turned and saw that little girl with her long, blonde hair, trying to reach me, but her father's arms blocked her. I couldn't clearly see her, but I knew she was crying._

_I yelled. But I don't remember what._

_-Frak! Frak!- she yelled again, her voice was louder and louder._

_-François!- she said, louder._

-François!- 

The man into that room joilted, as he woke up from a dream. 

-Were you sleeping?- the Abbé du Maupas asked to him, looking at him through the little hole on it. The man just shook his head, completely silent. The blonde priest smiled. 

-Good, let me intoduce our new nurse, dear. Say hi to mademoiselle Chagall!- and looked at her. She standed on her tiptoes because that hole was too high for her, but she still couldn't reach it. The Abbé looked extremely embarassed and humiliated.

-Oh God, I'm so sorry, mademoiselle, I didn't mean to--

-Don't worry, Abbé, I'm-I'm used to it...- she said, embarassed as well.

-I guess you should meet your patients closer, don't you?-

-It would be a pleasure!- she said, shyly.

-Be careful with him, Lucille, he's a...moody patient.- the priest whispered to her. Lucille just nodded, her anxiety began to grow. The man opened the door, and the girl went in, suddenly regretting it.

-Uhm, hi...your name should be François, yes...?- she shyly asked, her voice lowered more and more. She suddenly felt like she entered the cage of a lion. He finally managed to speak.

-...yes.- he murmured.

-C-cool...- the girl muttered, trying to act as more natural as possible. -What's your name?- she asked.

-...does it matter? I am here to be healed, I ain't nothing to you.- he pouted, moving a lock of hair behind his ear, and trying to close his shabby shirt.

-You're wrong, my dear. Anyone is valid, and anyone deserves love and care.- she exclaimed, her fear disappeared.

François lowered his head, looking the cold floor.

-Did you ever have a love? Someone you loved or someone who loved you?-

The patient looked at her, his eyes again filling up in tears, but he didn't cry. He looked at the floor again, and nodded.

-I had a crush, once. She was a bride-to-be, and a chambermaid of this asylum. I didn't know her enough, since I discovered scandalous things about her. But despite this, I truly loved her, and she truly loved me. It was a forbidden love, though, and it made me endure a lot.-

Lucille listened to him with attention, as her heart melted in pain for that suffering soul.

-May I ask you who she is?- she asked.

-You mean "who she WAS"...-

-Did she move?- the nurse naively asked again.

-She's dead.-

The woman covered her mouth to keep a surprise gasp. A silent "Oh my God" escaped her mouth, though, and François managed to hear it.

-Lucille? Are you okay?- the Abbé the Maupas asked through the door, after having knocked.

-GO AWAY, YOU FILTHY BASTARD!- François yelled.

-I'm okay, Abbé, don't worry, I had the pleasure of meeting this gentleman.- Lucille gently said, and sweetly smiled at the patient.

-Don't "Abbé" him, he doesn't deserve that role.- François mumbled, maddened.

The blonde priest opened the door to let the nurse go out the cell.

-Let's go, Lucille, let's meet other patients.- the Abbé ordered, severely looking at the man behind the door. François threw himself on the hole of the door to give a last gaze to that woman. He looked like a kid who lost his parents, somehow.


	3. Who's that Man?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to wish you all a Happy 2021! And still, forgive my potato english ^^'

It was a strange day at Charenton. Lucille felt that something was missing, or rather, she felt like that place was familiar to her. That madhouse had been surely subject of myriads of conversations; people speculated about what happened some years before, about the chambermaid found dead for unknown reasons, about how scandalous was the previous Abbé.   
"Ugh, that kind of a priest was probably as pervert as the Doctor is" the girl thought, as she was bandaging a wound on a patient's ankle. Her blue eyes noticed an opened little gate that led to another big room. As she was distracted, one of the patients violently hit her shoulder with theirs.

-What- Pitou, be careful!- she shouted to the patient. The transgendered patient didn't even listen to her, and kept walking away, with some papers in her hands.   
Lucille noticed her blank gaze, as she fastly left the nursery. 

-What in the...-.  
-Good morning, Lucille!- The Abbé du Maupas exclaimed, making the nurse joilt.   
-Oh, Abbé, g-good morning! You scared me!- The woman said, with a nervous giggle. She felt her cheeks turn a weak red.  
-I'm sorry, mademoiselle, I was just very satisfied with your perfect job, you're such a talented nurse.- he complimented her, with a smile. After he stopped, he blushed too.   
-M-Maybe I exaggerated, i didn't mean to embarass you!-. She made him stop with a gentle gesture of her hand. -No need to apologise, Abbé, I'm a very nervous woman, and I often joilt. Don't worry, I appreciate your compliments, thank you!-

A big, sweet smile wided on the priests face. He turned to go away, after having looked at the girl for some seconds.  
-Oh, Abbé!-  
He turned again. -Yes?-  
Lucille hesitated for a moment. -Uhm, before coming here, I heard that the director of this madhouse was an Abbé...- she stopped for a moment, blushing for what she wanted to say. -A very l-lewd Abbé...- the girl hesitated again. -Is that true?-  
The Abbé du Maupas sighed. -Alright, I guess you deserve to know what actually happened here. Come here.- he replied, with a tired tone, and he pointed an armchair. -Sit here, please.-  
Lucille did what the blonde priest said, and sat on that shabby armchair. Probably the owner was the Doctor, because she was so short that she looked like a porcelain doll.

The Abbé took a deep breath. -Look, you might not believe in me, but--  
-Don't worry, I will, because I trust you.- she said, sweetly smiling. The man blushed, and smiled. 

-I know everything. The Doctor forbid me to tell the truth. Actually, I didn't know what happened after an old patient told me everything. Without him, I would still be totally oblivious of the past. The Doctor has a bad conscience, because he kind of caused the disaster in here.-.  
-I knew that something was bad about him.- Lucille hissed, disgusted. -Tell me more, Abbé.-

-Do you remember François?- he asked. Lucille nodded.  
-He was the previous Abbé, and the director of Charenton. He had innovative ideas, and the Doctor silently disagreed with them all. He used "traditional methods", if you know what I mean.-

-Torture, right?- the girl asked.   
-The most terrible and painful ones. He was merciless.-  
She whispered an "ugh" noise.  
-I know, it's disgusting.- the priest nodded -But it's not over. Just because the old Abbé had innovative methods that didn't include torture, the Doctor made him deal with that demon of the Marquis de Sade all alone. That poor man was mentally destroyed.-

-The old Abbé wasn't a pervert?- Lucille asked.  
-More or less. He was devoured by his passions,but he wasn't a pervert. Instead, he was very devoted to God. For that reason, it was very hard for him to deal with the Marquis, because he didn't want to be tempted. The Marquis himself thought what seducing the Abbé and doing lewd proposes to him was funny.-  
-Oh my God...-she murmured.  
-Yeah...but we must say that the Abbé de Coulmier was a very weak man, he deeply fell in love with a chambermaid, Madeleine LeClerc. He was fighting over his feelings.-

Lucille looked the floor.  
-B-But patients, chambermaids and nuns loved him. His sin was his body image, though. A lot of women fell for him.-  
-Oh, a big paradox, now he looks like a beggar.- the nurse said. She suddenly remembered wha the Abbé du Maupas said. -D-Did you say 'de Coulmier'?-  
-Uhm, yes, that's François's last name, why?- he asked.  
Lucille had already heard that last name. François de Coulmier. Why did that name sound so familiar?  
The woman shook her head. -Nothing, Abbé. Thank you for havin told me the truth, now everything is clear.- She stood up and ran away.


	4. Cell, Sweet Cell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit dull ^^''

-Merci, mademoiselle Chagall!- a weak old man said, almost whispering, and he smiled at Lucille; then he got up fromthe chair and limped away. The nurse smiled, but her happiness was interrupted by a noise. She left the nursery to see what was happening: a wagon was indeed parked in front of the madhouse entrance gate. Orvolle and Valcour were carrying some wooden cases full of little back books.

-What's happening in here?- the woman asked the Doctor, who was managing the whole thing.

-Forgive me, mademoiselle Chagall, this is a delicate moment; as you can see, we're sending our copies to the libraries of the town!- he quickly explained, joyfully.

-Copies? Copies of what?-

-Oh, nothing special.- he paused, giggling -Just some little, cute novels that our patients have written.-. A feel of disgust crawled on Lucille's back.

-Are people so interested in silly novels?- she kept asking. The Doctor slightly sighed, and looked at her. His gaze creeped her out, she felt tempted to shut her outh and go away, but curiosity was devouring her.

-Mademoiselle, I'm busy, I cannot give a reply to every question of yours!- he blurted, clearly annoyed, and he turned around again. As the Doctor was distracted, Lucille slowly approached one of the huge wooden cases where all thosebooks were collected, and quickly stole one, then running away. The first thing that caught her attention was the name of the author: De Sade. Wasn't he dead? Every book in that case was the same, so they were selling thousands of copies of those scandalous novels for money.

She quickly dropped the book, like she was touching some kind of gross, slimy worm, and let a disgusted groan escape her mouth.

-Something's off.- she murmured, as she was cleaning her hands on her white uniform. The girl ran into the asylum to find the Abbé du Maupas. Lucille was about to go upstairs to the church, when she heard a desperate cry. The more the seconds were passing, the more she was understandig where the cries were coming from. François's room. The nurse began to fight with herself to decide the direction that she was meant to take; upstairs, keeping to look for the Abbé, or downstairs, checking if François was okay. Her fight was interrupted by the Abbé, who was going downstairs.

-Abbé, I know I'm insisting on this, but I need your help to understand what the Doctor is planning. I'm sure he's--

The priest just ignored her and kept walking. Lucille was surprised. 

-A-Abbé? What's going on?- 

-Nothing, Lucille dear, the Doctor is doing his job, don't get obsessed with it, please.- the man said, in a neutral tone, even avoiding her gaze. She could notice some guilt in his eyes.

-But--

-I know the Doctor is an ambiguous person, but please, Lucille, don't investigate on it, I'm begging you.-. Having said that, he went away. A yell distracted her from what just happened with the Abbé.

She ran as fas as she could to find François's room, afraid that he could get hurt, or harm himself. She arrived in front of his door; he was standing on the other side of it, screaming through the peephole.

-Are you okay?- the nurse asked, heavily breathing. -Did you get hurt?-

-No!- François yelled, desperate -Those novels shouldn't leave Charenton! It's a curse! I don't want anybody to live what I lived!-

-I can understand what you're talking about.- she sighed, leaning on the door -I know what happened to you, but what are we supposed to do?- 

-We have to stop the wagon, nobody must read those novels anymore!- he hit his head on the door, groaning in frustration. -Where's the...- he groaned again -...the Abbé..?-

-I don't know, he ignored me when I asked him for help.- she replied.

-Ugh, great.- he complained, punching the door. -I guess we have to make it on our own.-

-How am I supposed to make you escape?- Lucille asked, frustrated.

-What? Do you really mean to make me es--

Valcour walked behind Lucille, looking at him suspiciously.

-Escape...?- he whispered then. She nodded. He held back a happy smile. -I will help you.-

Valcour was still nearby. 

-Valcour, the Abbé was looking for you, you can reach him upstairs, in the chapel.- a female voice said, and Valcour hesitantly reached the chapel. Madame LeClerc looked at Lucille, and nodded. The nurse nodded, too, as a sign of agreement. 

-Mademoiselle, listen to me; try to remove a tile from the floor. It should make a weird sound if you knock on it.-

Lucille immediately looked the floor, and knocked the heel on one of the tiles. Finally, she heard a noise of emptiness, and raised the tile. A key was abandoned in a little hole. 

-Who put a key in here?- she asked, picking the rusty key, and cleaning it on her uniform.

-I did, in case the Marquis de Sade ran away, and the key was missing. i did it for every prisoner.- the man explained.

-You mean patients?- she corrected him. He shook hi shead, though.

-I meant prisoners; now that the Doctor is the director of Charenton, I just can call us like that.- he paused. -Come on, free me, please.-

Lucille immediately opened the door and made him escape. 


End file.
